Joined (The Secret World Of Atlantis 4)

Chapter 10 - Gods Have Baggage Too

Who are you thanking? another familiar voice suddenly reaches towards my mind, making me freeze. It takes me a moment to compose myself and answer the question.

Er, no one, the Gods, I reply, trying my best to focus on my prayers for Flora to make it out. But I can’t have Eros fooled. He knows something’s up, even if I force myself not to think about it.

Arya … I know you’re lying. And I truly hope you have a good reason for that, he implies, making goosebumps stand up at the back of my neck. His tone suddenly causes me to start feeling cold. Is it because of the conversation we’re just about to have? Is that why I’m starting to shiver? Look, you have nothing to be afraid of, if you tell me the truth now, he speaks up again, but I’m not sure that makes me feel any better.

I take a deep breath, before opening my eyes. I turn my head just to see him already staring at me in an accusing way. I bite my lower lip nervously. I wasn’t exactly forbidden from speaking of this, but that still doesn’t mean I’m sure that I can.

Who was inside your mind? Who were you keeping from me? Was it Teivel? Zara? Were you forced to thank them in the end, so I wouldn’t suspect them? You know you can tell me anything, right? he insists, the pressure he’s putting on me, finally making me snap.

No, it wasn’t them, I would never shield my mind, while they were inside it, that would be suicide. It was … Oh, Gods forgive me, it was your mother, I reveal, staring into his eyes intently as I wait for his reaction. He stares at me for a long moment, suddenly seeming confused.

You were nervous because my mother entered your mind? I thought you two got along well … And I didn’t even realize she knew how to do that, let alone from such a distance. She is in Gunguru, after all, he rambles on and on, while I watch him, completely dumbfounded. This is spiralling out of control. And it’s definitely not heading into the direction it is supposed to go.

Eros, I wasn’t talking about your mortal mother, I interrupt him quietly, fiddling with the fingers on my right hand nervously. He stares at me for a long moment, and I can read that he’s trying to make something of what I just said. But no matter how hard he tries, he keeps travelling in the same circle. Oh, for the love of Olympus, I am talking about Aphrodite! Your Goddess mother, remember her? I finally help him.

At the revelation, his face hardens, resembling a perfectly sculpted stone. Then, his skin also grows pale, making him look like a lifeless statue all the more. I widen my eyes in surprise. I’ve never seen him like this before and it’s creepy, to say the least.

What did she want? he slowly asks, as he finally manages to get back to his senses. But his voice sounds strange even inside my head, and I’m not sure if I should keep talking. Tell me, he demands quietly, but in a tone that makes me know he won’t let me contradict him. Alright, it is his mother we’re talking about, I suppose he deserves to be told the truth about why she came.

I … I kind of provoked her, so she would hear me and realize I’m asking her to help Flora. And she did come. I actually trapped her inside my mind, the moment I felt a foreign presence inside it. Long story short, she told me that I am amongst the most beautiful mortals on her list and that she loves me. Then, she also admitted that she did take our bond, because she was jealous, that I could spend so much time with you when she couldn’t. To top it all off, she said that the concoction wasn’t working on me at all, and that she was the one, who returned my wings, I explain. There is more and more disbelief on his face, the longer I talk. Oh, and she also said that changing their colour to match yours, was meant as an apology note for taking our bond, I then add, making his eyebrows seem like they’re going to disappear into his hairline.

Typical, he finally remarks, shaking his head. I wait, thinking that this is only the beginning of what he’ll have to say to me, but he doesn’t continue. In fact, he doesn’t even blink. Is this normal? What is the procedure for making an incarnated God function again?

Hey, if it’s in any consolation, she did sound like she was sorry about all of it. And she agreed to use the favour Apollo owes her for Flora. She said she would help her herself, but healing isn’t in her domain, I continue, thinking perhaps that this might finally get him back to normal.

However, his mouth twists with anger, and he suddenly seems at least three times bigger, than he actually is. Not in her domain?! She could bring any of her owns from the edge of death, if she only snapped her fingers! Hell, she could even bring them back to life, if it was permitted! he bursts out. I instinctively take a small step backwards, only then making him realize that he might have stepped over the line.

His eyes are suddenly filled with regret, and he exhales slowly, averting his gaze into his feet in shame. I sigh, leaning back towards him, shaken from what he had just told me. But … Could it be true? Did the Goddess lie to me? I mean, it’s the only chance … I know Eros wouldn’t ever do that to me.

I glance over my shoulder, realizing Elena and my cousins still have their eyes closed. I check Iora next and see that she doesn’t know we’re having some trouble either. Only then I dare to reach towards Eros, my fingers lifting his chin up, just like he did to me so many times before. His eyes are wide as he realizes what I’m doing. No one is supposed to be touching each other in the Temple, it meant disrespect for the Gods. But considering I just spoke to one, I hope I won’t get in trouble for it. And besides, the person I touched is a God as well. That must count for something, right?

Sighing, I still lower my hand, not wanting to make him feel uncomfortable. Look, I don’t know much about Olympian laws and frankly, I don’t want to mend myself into those affairs. But perhaps, something is changing up there. Maybe the Gods don’t have the powers to help their owns like that any longer, and only Apollo can, because he is the God of healing. I don’t want to upset you, but I don’t think your mother was lying either. Why else would she give our bond back? And make my wings match yours to apologize for taking it in the first place? I wonder in a friendly tone. He shakes his head, already meaning to defy me, when he realizes it’s no use.

I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be going so hard on you when you don’t even have anything to do with this. You don’t know what it’s like up there … And I hope you never do because I intend to keep you away from them. I won’t let them ruin what we have, no matter how hard they might try … And I don’t think Aphrodite’s actions were that unselfish. She might have given you your wings and returned our bond, but who knows what she’s going to take instead? he retorts, making me raise my eyebrows in surprise. Is this really what he thinks of his own mother?

I must disagree. Your mother would never do anything to hurt you. I saw her when your life was in danger. She could barely hold on anymore. She couldn’t even speak because she was so worried that you would die. And given the fact that Gods are all-knowing, I could bet that death truly was in cards for you. So no, I don’t believe this is all part of her big manipulation plan to get rid of me and have you for herself, I tell him, making him furrow his eyebrows together. Why do you resent your mother so much? What did she ever do to you? I ask softly, wanting to understand what this is about.

After a long moment of silence, I can see something glistening in his eyes. Deep sorrow that I just reminded him of. One that I can soon feel as well. It’s rushing at me in waves, that are coming from him. In the next moment, he finally reveals what’s been bothering him so much. She didn’t stand up for me … On the day that I was thrown off Olympus, she just stood by and watched calmly, as I was banished … Even if she agreed with the way I’ve done things. I could read it in her eyes, but no matter how much I wanted her to take my side, she didn’t. She watched everything calmly, not even opening her mouth in protest, as I was thrown out.

His face looks so broken … So vulnerable … I already mean to wrap my arms around him and comfort him, when I remember that doing that in a Temple, while my breasts are exposed, probably isn’t such a good idea. That’s why I am forced to hold myself back, no matter how hard I want to hug him, and tell him that it’s alright. That she still loves him, even if she didn’t speak up that day. And that it must be hunting her ever since.

But Eros shakes his head, having heard everything that’s just been going on inside my mind. I appreciate what you’re trying to do here, truly … However, it won’t change how I currently feel about her. I’m sorry, he tells me, making me shake my head in disbelief.

Stop apologizing for the way you feel. It’s fine. You can feel however you want to, it’s completely your choice. I will never judge you for it, I assure him, earning myself a grateful gaze in return.

Just then, I hear the door to the Temple open, and we quickly turn back forward, pretending like we just opened our eyes. Silent footsteps approach us, and in that moment, I can see Iora standing up from the centre.

“Mother, I am not here for the prayers. I am delivering news to Their Majesties,” I hear a young voice say. I turn around, noticing one of the new maids of the Palace. She lowers her head as her eyes clash with mine, bowing deeply. “My Princess, the King has sent me to tell you, that Princess Flora has been treated successfully. She is now sleeping and can’t be disturbed, but you will be able to see her in a few hours,” she reveals, making my lips curl up into a big smile.

I look at Eros, my bright face seeming to be contagious, because there is soon a smile on his face as well. The rest happens with Elena, Demitri and Emilia. In the end, even Iora seems to be smiling because of my happiness.

I then turn to the maiden, telling her: “Thank you for delivering this wonderful news. You may return to the Palace now, we will come back shortly.” She again bows at us, then disappears out of the Temple.

“Does this mean that she’s fine? She is truly fine?” Elena asks, suddenly realizing what this means. Even if lots of bad things happened, while we were trying to capture Zara, at least one of them ended well.

I nod in response, my hands shaking from the excitement. “Yes. She truly is fine. It seems like our business here is done. I suppose all there’s left to do is thank the Gods and take off,” I say, closing my eyes once again. Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you, I repeat the words I said to Aphrodite before. And they are meant for her again. And Apollo. And anyone else who might have had something to do with Flora making it out of this ordeal alive.

You see? Perhaps you were wrong about your mother after all, I tell Eros, as I open my eyes. He looks at me warily, unsure of how to respond to that statement. In the end he simply shrugs, before starting to pull his clothes back up.

Perhaps I was. But that still doesn’t mean I suddenly trust her now, he makes it clear. I smirk in response, tying my clothes back into place.

I wouldn’t expect you to, I remark. He turns his head to me in confusion.

What is that supposed to mean? he wants to know, his eyebrows furrowed from what I just said to him. I sigh, shaking my head.

Nothing bad. I love you just the way you are. Your cautiousness included, I say, making his gaze soften. Finally, the smile that I adore, creeps itself on his face, and he glances at his sister and my cousins, before returning his gaze to me.

You sure know how to flatter a man, he remarks, his smile turning into a playful smirk. I return it along with a wink, forgetting about our troubles for a brief moment. After all the things we’ve been through today, we did deserve some peace and quiet already.